Combination water and space combustion heater



Oct. 6, 1953 B. H. LOSCHING 2,654,351

COMBINATION WATER AND SPACE COMBUSTION HEATER Filed Sept. 6, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 1 l E I E .555

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i H l @1 Jame/@751.- fie/Ww/d%@50 ?W 1953 a. H. LOSCHING COMBINATIONWATER AND SPACE COMBUSTION HEATER Filed Sept. 6, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Oct. 6, 1953 Bernard H, L0sching,- J anesville Wis vassign orto The SchlueterCm, J anesvill'e, Wis;-, .a' corporation of 'wi'sconsiflapplication September 6, 1949;' S"erial No-; 11451-155 'C iaiins.- (o1.12'6-10i)' 'I h-is invention rel-ates to heatingedevices' and hasfor-one of its obiects theprovisionof'a com bust-ion-heater adapted-toselectively function asa-water heating? unit,- a space-heater; or bothrThe production of such a :unit m'ayr-have been at tempted heretofore,but-so-=faras known, no prior: art devices have-accomplished-the desiredresults: in 'amannersufficiently satisfactory as-1to render thedevicesacceptable from: a" manufacturingi standpoint? It-is believedthatone of the primary reasons for thisis that in order to attain thegreatest-pos sib-le efficiency' under various op'eratin'gi condi--tions- -it is essential that -th'e unit havefihigh efiicieneyn-f -heattransfer between theheatingsflame thewater andthe air; 1 This :may betermed effi' ciency inth-ree way heattransfer, sin'ce 'to obtain thedesired results'; it is--notonly essential that the heat of the flamebetransmitted efficiently: to the water when used as-awaterheater andto' theambient airwhen used as-aspace heater; but it=-is also essentialthat the arrangementbesuchthat the heat accumulated in the water: may-beefficiently transferredto-the air, so that the water acts asaholdingmedium'for'the unit-when'func tioning as aspace-heater;andthe-same water-is also available to'supply the tapdemand:

These functions are accomplished -accord-ing -to thepresent-teaeh-i-ngby a uniq-uearrangement of theinter-related partsof-thewatentank combustionphamben and insulating.- housing orthe un-imwhich in-the present showing are-all so; arranged that the housingenclosesboththe water tank and combustion chamber with surfaces of-boththecombustionchamber and the water tank position-ed in spaced relationto-theinner wall-s ofthe housingso as to define primary andsecondary-air passages whereintheair flowing through the-:device passessuccessively over the surfaces or the combustion chamber and--then-isdrawn at are duced speed overthe external surfaces ofthe watentank- Bythis arrangement; iefiicientheat transfer from thecombustionchamberdirectly= to the :air flowingthrough the: passage *may be accomplished when-desired; yet when substantial body. of water of the'inlet tank' has been raised to a high" temperature; this heat may alsobe transferred to the air'ifdesired- The-unit isprovided, however; withshutters-to contrblithe -fiow ofair;1so triat when Fthe 'Im it is'-usedsolely 'as a; water: heater the air 'fiowfmayrbe completely-out ofi an'd'th'e air then" trappediin tne spaee between' the outside housing, andthe Water tank will then functio'ri as a dead a'ir' spaee to increase"the efiiciency'ofi the thermal insulation of the tankz is connected tothe tank-through anipple- 3!)- A preferred commercial embodimentoftheiinv'ention is: illustrated in the 'drawings of "this specification, wherein;

Figure-1 is a side eleva'tionalviewOra-combination water and spaceheater; and

Figure-.2 is a central sectional 'ViGW thGI'EQR Inthe' 'form of "theinvention =chosen for-purposes of illustration, the unit: has anexterior housinggenerally designatedas I Ogawhich is,-=however, made up0f:anoutsidemetallic shell l l and an inside metallic walk! 2-, .withthe space-between these walls paoked "with thermal insulatingr material'l 3-5 Amaterialsuch as fiber-glass is idealfo-r the purpose. The housingincludesa bottom: paneh |4- on which a plurality of leg-s l 5 are-secured to support the unitgand-the upper end'of'. thehousing-is-fin-ished by= an-outsidetop plate l 6 and an inner top plated1 spacedap art from each otherand" packed with-thermal insulation 18:The water-tankiof the device; generally indicated byvthe numeral 24;includes a topaportion-zz permanently joined-'tothe upper end. oi -thetank cylinder and--bolted -to th'e mouth flange 23 carried orr=the topplate lG ofthe-housing; Thus, -the tank 21 ,aincludi-ngrthebottom plate24 and burnersupporting: brackets-25, ;-maybe suspended within thehousingand spaced sufliciently-from theinner walls- I 2 ef thehousing-toprovide asubstantially. annular air passage around the unit. The-tank;

' 2-l isclosedatitsupper-end-by the insulated cover- 26,- andis;preferably' provided with-upper and lower drain-cocks fl' and- 28through which the heated water may be- -de1ivered Asshown the draincock- Z T-is positioned on the vertical wall'of the tank z'l at-a pointpartially up its side, and

threaded into the tank flange- 29. The lower-drain cook" 2 fl-communic-ates with the tank-througha right-angled elbow fitting-1 3 l;threaded into the bottom pipe flange 32 of :thetank.

The combustionchamber of the unit comprises; a cylindrical sheet 'metalshel-l 35 concentric -with the side walls or the tank 21 but'- of:slightly greater diameter, sothat the shell enclosesthe entire bottomofthezta-nk; including: the burnen and -bracketsemounted thereon; and:extends up wardly along: the sidewalls to overlap the lower ends: of thetame walls: and: provide an 1 anriularr space 3fi around the lower partof f the tankwalls; to ac'complishfmaiximnm efliciency-of'he'at transfer between the combustion chamber andx the: tankzh Theuppenendpfithecombustion chambe'r: is =closed by2 a topiplate iil; but 'an'upwardlyfex tendingduct 38 is -provided on X one side: of the tanktomominmficatewith the: fiue' '3e'iextendingu' through the housing ofthe unit at a point near its top. The combustion chamber 35 of the unitincludes a metallic control box 4| extending through the side walls ofthe housing and covered by a cover plate 42, which may be bolted inplace by machine screws 43, but which is preferably provided with anumber of vent openings 44 to admit air to the combustion chamber. Theunit is heated by a gas burner 45 mounted on the burner bracket 25 andsupplied with combustible gas through a mixer pipe 45 and gas lines 4'1,48 and 49. These lines feed the gas to the burner through a regulatorvalve 5! controlled by a thermostat 52 in the interior of the water tank2| and, as shown, the unit includes a pilot light 53, safety shut-off 5dand automatic valve 55, but since these may be of conventional designand construction, they will not be described in greater detail in thepresent disclosure.

It has been mentioned, however, that it is one of the objects of thepresent teaching to provide a unit which may be selectively employed asa water heater or a spaceheater. To this end, the housing is providedwith a bottom air shutter in the form of a perforated plate 56 having aprojecting tab 51, which may be manually shifted to bring the shutterapertures 58 and 59 into registry or move them into overlapping (closed)position. This shutter, therefore, provides an air intake to the lowerend of the housing, from which the air may flow up wardly through thenarrow annular primary air passage 65 between the outer wall 35 of thecombustion chamber and the inner wall l2 of the housing into a widersecondary air passage 61' around the upper portion ofthe tank 2|. An airoutlet box 62 extends through the housing wall near the top of thehousing, and the outer end of this box is covered by a perforated grille63 havingia manually shiftable shutter plate 64. Registering openingsare provided in the grille and shutter so that it maybe opened or closedby manual manipulation of the handle 65.

From the foregoing it will be seen that with the shutters 55 and 64open, there is an air passage which may be traced through the openings5859, then upwardly through the primary air passage 60 and secondary airpassageBl to the air outlet box 62, and thence through the shutter 54and hot air grille 63. ,When the unit is heated, flow of air throughthis path will take place by convection, but the flow may be further;

augmented by the provision of afan or blower 66 driven by an electricmotor 67, which may be supplied with power through a flexible cord 68passing from the housing of the unit through in-' sulating grommets 69.

When the unit is to be operated as a water heater only, theshutters 56and 64 are closed,

Thus, when the flame is ignited at the burner 45, the air space H at thebottom of "the housing, together with the primary air passage 60 aroundthe combustion chamber and the secondary air passage 6i around theupperend of the water cause an upward flow along the tank walls and,

a downward flow of relatively cool water in the central portion of thetank, so that the heated water rises upwardly from the annular rim 36 ofthe combustion chamber and is quickly available at the location of thepipe flange 29, from which it may be drawn through the drain cook 21.

When the unit is to function as a space heater, the shutters 56 and 64are opened and if desired, the motor 61 may be energized to drive thefan 66. Under these conditions the air entering the bottom of thehousing first flows upwardly through the relatively narrow air passage60 between the outer shell 35 of the combustion chamber and the innermetallic wall l2 of the insulated housing. The air is quickly heated asit moves through this space, since it is not only exposed to the heatedsurface of the combustion chamber shell 35, but is also exposed to thesurface of the inner metal wall l2 which is, of course,- itself heatedby radiation from the shell of the combustion chamber. The air passingthrough the passage 60 is thus heated directly from the combustionchamber in the primary air passage, but as has been heretofore pointedout, the employment of the large tank of heated water provides a meansfor accumulating heat so that after the water itself has been brought toa high temperature, additional heat is transferred from the water to theair as the air passes through the secondary chamber 6|. Ordinarily thetemperature differential between the air and. water is somewhat lessthan the differential existing between the air and metal at the primaryair passage 60, but since the passage 6| is somewhat wider than thepassage 60, the flow of air therethrough is not so rapid; and it may bedemonstrated that a substantial heat transfer takes place through theupper walls of the tank 2| 7 to warm the air from the heat of the water,as

well as from the direct heat'of the combustion chamber. Obviously thisheat transfer continues even after the gas to the burner s5 is turnedoff, and it follows that the heat accumulated in the water of the unitmay be quickly transferred to the ambient'air, irrespective of whetherthe operation of the burner is continued.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device of this disclosureaccomplishe the functions of both a water heater and space heater, andachieves a high degree of efiiciency in each function by the novelarrangement of parts permitting maximum efiiciency in three-way heattransfer. Thus, the heat generated'by the flame in the combustionchamber may be transferred directly to the air, directly to the water,Or may be accumulated in the water and thereafter transferred to theair, so that the water acts as a holding medium for the space heatingfunction, yet is also available to supply the tap requirements. Whenfunctioning as a water heater solely, the air passages coact with thethermal insulating of the housing to provide an unusually efficientinsulating assembly capable of retaining the water at high temperaturefor an unusually long period of time. The unit may be used either inpressure systems or fornon-pressure operation, and the hot water and hotair outlets are located adjacent each other so that when the de; vice isused in a milk house with standard wash tanks, the farm air from thegrille 63 is directed toward the person using the tanks, so that heattains a sensible heat higher than the surrounding air.

The form of the invention shown is the com mercial' form of thedevicepresentlymanuface awe-act turned. and. is; believed: to be wellsuited: tea are scription of the inventivezprinciples thereofibut itrecognized thattit is-ts'ubj'ect to various modifications and that manyand varied changes in desi'grr and structure may be madewithcutdeparting from: the concepts. of. the invention. It is accordinglypointed out that the scope of the inventive thought is not limited. tothe. precise details of' the structure shown,. but it extends with.equal force to any variationsand modifications thereof within the termsor? the appended claims.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A combination water and space heater comprising a verticalcylindrical water tank and a concentric cylindrical combustion housingclosed at its lower end, said coT-nbustion housing being of largerdiameter than the water tank, extending beneath the water tank to formtherewith a combustion chamber and extending upwardly partially of theheight of the tank and is spaced relation to the side walls of saidtank, a burner in said combustion chamber, a combustion air inlet incommunication with said combustion chamber. and a flue communicatingwith the upper end of said combustion housing; and exterior cylindricalhousing of substantially uniform diameter throughout its height and ofdiameter greater than the combustion housing and concentricallyenclosing the combustion housing, flue and water tank; said exteriorhousing having outer and inner metallic walls spaced from each other bya thermal insulating layer, the inner wall of said exterior housingbeing close to the wall of the combustion housing to provide a narrowsubstantially annular air passage between the combustion housing and theexterior housing and a wider chamber air passage between the tank andthe exterior housing, said exterior housing including an inlet andoutlet communicating respectively with said air passages together withcontrol shutters operatively associated with said air passages wherebysaid shutters may be opened to permit the flow of heated air through thepassages between the combustion housing, tank and exterior housing tothe outlet thereof; or closed to provide a dead air insulating layeraround the combustion housing and tank.

2. A combination water and space heater 6031i. prising a verticalcylindrical water tank and a concentric cylindrical combustion housingclosed at its lower end, said combustion housing being of largerdiameter than the water tank, extending beneath the water tank to formtherewith a combustion chamber and extending upwardly partially of theheight of the tank and in spaced relation to the side walls of saidtank, a burner in said combustion chamber, a combustion air inlet incommunication with said combustion chamber, and a flue communicatingwith the upper end of said combustion housing; and an exteriorcylindrical housing of substantially uniform diameter throughout itsheight and of diameter greater than the combustion housing andconcentrically enclosing the combustion housing, ilue and water tank;said exterior housing having outer and inner metallic walls spaced fromeach other by a thermal insulating layer, the inner wall of saidexterior housing being close to the wall of the combustion housing toprovide a narrow substantially annular air passage between thecombustion housing and the exterior housing and a wider chamber airpassage between the prising. a vertical cylindrical wate r tank and aconcentric cylindrical combustion housing closed.

at its lower end, saidcombustion housing being of larger diameter" thanthe water tank, extending beneath the water ta'nk'to form therewitha'combustion chamber and extending upwardly partially ortheheight of-'thetankand in spaced" relation" to the side'-w'all of said tank,- aburnerint saidi combustion: chamber, a. combustion air inlet incommunication with said combustion chamber, and a flue communicatingwith the upper end of said combustion housing; and an exteriorcylindrical housing of substantially uniform diameter throughout itsheight and of diameter greater than the combustion housing andconcentrically enclosing the combustion housing, flue and water tank;said exterior housing having outer and inner metallic walls spaced fromeach other by a thermal insulating layer, the inner Wall of saidexterior housing being close to the wall of the combustion housing toprovide a narrow substantially annular air passage between thecombustion housing and the exterior housing and a wider chamber airpassage between the tank and the exterior housing, said exterior housingincluding an inlet and outlet communicating respectively with said airpassages, and additional means to regulate the flow of ambient airthrough said passage.

4. A combination water and space heater comprising a verticalcylindrical water tank and a combustion housing closed at its lower end,said combustion housing being of larger diameter than the water tank,extending beneath the water tank to form therewith a combustion chamberand extending upwardly partially of the height of the tank and in spacedrelation to the side walls of said tank, a burner in said combustionchamber, a combustion air inlet in communication with said combustionchamber, and a flue communicating with the upper end of said combustionhousing; an exterior cylindrical housing of diameter greater than thesaid combustion housing and concentrically enclosing the combustionhousing, flue and water tank, said exterior housinghaving vertical innerwalls close to the walls of the combustion housing and more widelyspaced away from the walls of the water tank to provide a narrow airpassage along the combustion housing and a wider air passage along thesides of the water tank above the combustion housing; and controlshutters opera tively associated with said air passages whereby saidshutters may be opened to permit the flow of heated air through saidpassages, or closed to provide a dead air insulating layer around thecombustion housing and tank, said exterior housing including an inletand outlet communicating respectively with said air passages.

5. A combination water and space heater comprising a verticalcylindrical water tank and a combustion housing closed at its lower end,said combustion housing being of larger diameter than the water tank,extending beneath the water tank to form therewith a combustion chamberand extending upwardly partially of the height of the tank and in spacedrelation to the side walls of said tank, a burner in said combustionchamber, a combustion air inlet in communication with said combustionchamber, and a flue communicating with the upper end of said combustionhousing; an exterior cylindrical housing of diameter greater than thesaid combustion housing and concentrically enclosing thecombustionhousing, flue and Water tank, said exterior housing havingvertical inner walls close to the Walls of the combustion housing andmore widely spaced away from the Walls of the water tank to provide anarrow air passage along the 10 8 ing an inlet and outlet communicatingrespec-- tively with said air passages.

BERNARD H. LOSCI-IING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,140,239 Barth May 18, 1915 2,225,023 Watt Dec. 17, 19402,243,455 Doherty May 27, 1941 2,354,507 Doherty July 27, 1944 2,556,170Davidson June 12, 1951

